Weapons' Loyalty
by Addict to Fanfics
Summary: They were the King's loyal Black Shields but more than that, their level of skill meant they were human weapons and it was a well deserved title. Most had no true understanding of what holding to such a loyalty actually involved. 2nd of Weapons' miniseries.


I hoped for more reviews on the first little clip but as easy as it was to hold onto all three complete pieces for the months they've been done, it was surprisingly hard to hold back this next one for even this long after posting the first.

Implied character death. Don't like don't read.  
_Starts_ _similar_ to the first one of my '_Weapons'_' clips (note the differences though). Please bear with me I did say this started out as one idea with two endings. The third Weapons clip is formatted differently.

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Most referred to them as Weapons, forgoing the more formal title of Black Shields. They were the King's Black Shields but more than that, their level of skill meant they were human_ weapons _and it was a well deserved title. One had to be a Swordmaster of course to even consider such an appointment. Also to have an unfailing loyalty to the King and be willing to give one's life for that loyalty, but most had no true understanding of what holding to such a loyalty actually involved. He wished that there was someone who could have told him.

.,.,.

He lay upon the field, his sword still resting within its sheath. He hadn't had the chance to draw it beforehand or the strength to draw it after. Chaos had erupted around him. An arrow sat lodged in his torso and he stared at it dazedly for a moment before assessing his condition. With an eye trained from long lessons, learned for the unwelcome chance they would be needed for the King, he knew the wound if un-agitated and treated properly could heal if given time. He then observed the melee around him. Having been the first hit he was left to lie having been forgotten in favor of those still standing.

It wouldn't be without problems but he could probably get himself off to the side of the field and out of the line of combat for the most part. With the wound hampering his movements to such a degree he was likely to die from his slowed responses if he entered the thick of it. He didn't want to die. Really, who did? With that in mind he steeled himself for his next actions. Taking the arrow in both hands he placed one low on the shaft firmly against his clothes and gripped it tightly, then using the other he snapped the majority of the shaft off to allow for better movement. Disposing of the broken fragment he rolled to the side and pushed himself up on his knees before gaining his feet somewhat unsteadily.

Drawing his sword he started to head to the edge of the clearing focusing only on that goal as he put one foot in front of the other. The occasional scuffle crossed his path but the combatants were too fully focused on the one attacking them to notice the one who stood in their periphery unengaged. Halfway to the edge of the field a pained cry grabbed at his attention. The voice he knew and it pulled him from his tunneled vision. He turned abruptly toward it in time to see one of his fellow Weapons fall. An arrow piercing his shoulder had slowed him enough that the enemy's sword reached past his own to his flesh. He could see the man would be dead in moments. He shuddered at the sight. He wanted to live. He turned himself toward the field's edge once more but didn't advance further.

Through the haze of pain that had clouded his thoughts it dawned on him that he should be with the other Weapons. Why else would he be there but to aid in the King's protection? He looked to the King surrounded by the other Weapons that had accompanied him. Surely their blades would be enough to protect him? Even as he thought it though he could see the Weapons lagging as the overwhelming numbers battered at them. The King needed him. It would mean his death to join them. Another Weapon fell. He straightened as well as he could with the arrow still within him and moved to aid the others in their protection of the King. He was a Weapon. He was a Black Shield. He was loyal to his King and he was one of the elite that had sworn to defend their King with every breath they took, even to their dying one. He entered the fray cutting down one of the attackers from behind as he headed to his King's side.

This was his choice.

.,.,.

They were the King's loyal Black Shields but more than that, their level of skill meant they were _h__uman weapons _and it was a well deserved title. Most had no true understanding of what holding to such a loyalty actually involved though. He wished that there was someone who could have told him. It was one thing to think of the idea of giving your life in defense of your king and say you have the strength of will to do so. It was another to be truly faced with one's death _in defense of another_ and still stand bravely against it. He knew now though why it wasn't spoken of. All the words in the world could never explain what that brief moment of time, that choice, could convey to the deepest parts of his being. That knowing, that certainty, that loyalty. The loyalty that was broken only by death.

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Please Review. I really would like some help to get better at at this.

I have no idea if letting the arrow sit in him is better than simply ripping it out and staunching the blood (besides, I didn't give a really specific area of damage…). Considering he ends up fighting afterward removing it would probably have made it easier to move but that wasn't his original plan… As far as the original plan goes – survival instinct. He wants to live. He's injured already so his first thoughts will be for _flight_ not fight.

As a side note, while none of these 'Weapons' clips are set in any specific time period… for this one I did get an initial idea from the hunting party ambush in the first book though.

**Please Read, Important:** When I posted the first of these it was 1 of 9 oneshots I had done at the time including my 3 GR weapons clips. As I post this it is 1 of 10 oneshots I have done including the 2 GR Weapons pieces I had left. (I completed an old half-finished oneshot (of which I have too many) and wrote an entirely new oneshot for other categories)  
If you want the third completed weapon's clip, **Review and Tell Me**. I want to know what people think of my works, and I want to improve my writing skills. That's half the reason for posting them. If people aren't interested in GR works I've got other categories to post in.


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